Bendigo police sergeant remanded for alleged stalking

A BENDIGO police sergeant with more than 20 years in the police force has been remanded in custody for allegedly stalking his former partner.

The sergeant – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was arrested yesterday morning over charges of breaching an intervention order.

The alleged breach took place on February 14 when the man arranged for his child to order Valentine’s Day flowers be sent to his former partner’s address.

The Bendigo Magistrates Court was told it was the third time the man had breached an intervention order the former partner had taken out against him last October.

The sergeant – who is currently suspended from duty – held his head in his hands as his bail application was denied by Magistrate Dan Muling.

Mr Muling said there was an unacceptable risk the man would repeatedly try to make contact with the alleged victim.

The court was told the man’s former partner – who is also a police officer – had been living in fear that he would try to communicate with her.

Between October and December last year, the court heard that the man used the police email system, as well as Facebook, to send the woman a series of messages in an attempt to continue the relationship.

Mr Muling said the man knew the seriousness of the consequences of breaching the intervention order but that “it didn’t seem to have sunk in”.

Representing himself in court, the man argued that he had never tried to harm or threaten his former partner.

The man said the relationship – which lasted between 2010 and early 2012 – had gone a “bit sour”, but that he didn’t wish her any harm or ill will.

On Wednesday, shortly after arranging the flowers, the man said he returned to the florist to cancel the order but it was too late.

The police informant, Senior Sergeant Geoff Owen, said the victim was “extremely apprehensive” about the man’s continued attempts to contact her.

The man was remanded in custody yesterday afternoon, facing two charges of stalking and three counts of breaching an intervention order.

He will face a mention date in the Bendigo Magistrates Court on February 28.

*Legal note: To prevent identifying the child involved the man has not been named.